The Abyss 4K UHD (1989)

[paulboland]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

This is what I was afraid of! The slips don’t look glossy like the Disney slips years back… and again those stickers aren’t needed because zero friggin stores have them just online shops!

Thanks for the warning

I wonder if hairdryer trick might help loosen the sticker and help it peel off more so.

Sticker came off with no issues on my slipcover.
Always best to just peel it off slowly.
When there is a sticker on a slip I never try to remove it quickly.

[justin0994]

I can't find any of the new Cameron 4k releases anywhere. Did they actually sell out!?

[AKORIS]

just finished watching this tonight-- looked and sounded great!!!

......and that's all I have to say about that.......

[oaSS99]

Originally Posted by mjvmovieman

Target accidentally shipped me two copies of Abyss. Crazy. One showed up yesterday and another one today.

Lucky! I got none... pm if you're gonna let it go!

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by sojrner

Some on here have not seen the movie. Spoiler-tag these details to avoid ruining the ride for others.

The Abyss is from 1989, thirty-five years ago.
But you have a valid point anyway, so I added a spoiler.

* I envy the few who didn't see the film yet, and who for the first time will get the chance to experience it from the 4K Blu. For the others used to the VHS and DVD, I'd say not only it's about time but also it's a very nice upgrade.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

No.

THX ... And zero issue with my copy.

[trevorlj]

Originally Posted by trevorlj

I just got back from watching it in a Dolby cinema.

[Show spoiler]I haven't read anyone else's posts and this is just one dude's opinion but here are my takeaways while it's fresh in my mind:

- I'm impressed & overall it was a pretty spectacular presentation
- I know it's not news but yep...definitely grain managed and de-noised. For the record I usually hate both and would surely rather own a grainy un-molested transfer. BUT...
- This has to be a more advanced/refined version of both technologies than I have ever seen on any prior presentation. The image is squeaky clean from start to finish but there's surprisingly quite a bit of detail still present. It's not just wiped out and smeared to high heaven across the board. I've never seen anything like it. A bit of waxy cheeks on face closeups here and there...sure...but for the most part I'm not particularly broken up about the way it turned out.
- I hated Avatar's obvious AI upscale watercolor mess but if there's AI sharpening in use here it's super subtle and/or capable. No complaints on that front. I was looking for AI weirdness but didn't really catch any.
- Colors looked decent to me but I'm not that discerning on the palette change front like some of you are. I don't feel like I can comment on black levels in a projection environment other than it was relatively good and I hope it's better at home (as it probably will be).
- I spotted one ROUGH very short shot that looked to be sourced from standard def video: the way pulled back overhead shot of the ships sitting on top of the NTI craft/city on the ocean surface was jarringly horrible. Looked like it was de-interlaced at some point in time.

- The Atmos track was impressive. A few overhead effects when it was right and some pretty sweet side pans to match. The opening was particularly noteworthy. For a large space the bass was OK. Another one of those "I'm sure it'll be better at home."

[Show spoiler]- I swear the score was higher in the mix. Might be faulty memory though...I got rid of the SE Laserdisc a long time ago and I own but can't stomach the DVD. Regardless, the score throughout absolutely soared in the theater and kicked the whole thing up a notch.

My hopes have been raised for a good Aliens presentation (my favorite flick). Still a bit concerned with how downright chunky the grain is on that one. We'll see...

Just watched the disc. Can confirm Atmos is better at home than in a giant theater. Way more presence and directionality. Had some great overhead moans and groans from the rig, a couple sub fly overs, a bit during the crane drop, some room enveloping water/bubble sounds, and regular use of verticality in ambient/background noise throughout. Bass was decent during the action scenes but was particularly impressive (for a movie of this vintage) during the last few minutes. Overall, the sound crew did a great job on this one.

[starmike]

Originally Posted by mpengle

If you watched this movie in the theaters and it was playing the “original” one channel mono track you needed to go to a better theater.

Seriously. I saw it in 70mm 6-track.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by chip75

Had a Ed Harris dream within a dream last light last, Ed woke me up with defibrillator paddles, "Fight! Right now! Do it! Fight goddammit! Fight! Fight! Fiiiiight!"

All right, Bud, I'm getting up to pee.

Margot Robbie woke me up last night. I was sleeping deep into the abyss.

[DarkEco910]

Just got done watching it for the very first time. This movie eluded me for so long. I thought it was incredible. The PQ was decent enough and the HDR was lovely. I dived right into the Special Edition not realizing it was a 3 hour journey. I’ll probably check out the theatrical cut at some point.

My copy of True Lies was delayed and should be here Saturday. I’m looking forward to revisiting that. I just wish these were steelbooks. I’m betting those will come later.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by starmike

I'm talking about how people copy/paste the same statement in three threads, good OR bad.

Lol, yeah, I guess they're covering all their bases by posting in all 3.

[Pocketkid2]

Originally Posted by DarkEco910

Just got done watching it for the very first time. This movie eluded me for so long. I thought it was incredible. The PQ was decent enough and the HDR was lovely. I dived right into the Special Edition not realizing it was a 3 hour journey. I’ll probably check out the theatrical cut at some point.

You really don't need to see the theatrical cut if you've already seen and liked the special edition. The theatrical cut removes some key components of the story (particularly the ending) without improving the pacing enough to justify the cuts. As far as I understand, the cuts were made because the wave sequence couldn't be rendered properly in 1989.

[KulasDevorn]

Amazon sent me an email update on estimated arrival. Now it wont arrive until March 31-April 20. Absolutely ridiculous.

It's out of stock everywhere, so guess I have to wait.

[disco1979]

I watched this tonight and, damn, this is a classic. It should have been nominated for Best Picture and Director. How Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio were not nominated is beyond me. Two incredible performances that remain as powerful as ever.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Pocketkid2

You really don't need to see the theatrical cut if you've already seen and liked the special edition. The theatrical cut removes some key components of the story (particularly the ending) without improving the pacing enough to justify the cuts. As far as I understand, the cuts were made because the wave sequence couldn't be rendered properly in 1989.

I think that's a bit of an urban myth re: the wave. Cameron wasn't quite the ultra-powerful mogul that we think of him as today, so although he contractually had final cut on the picture it was only if he brought it in under a certain running time. Test screenings showed that the largely unfinished wave sequence was both the most loved and most hated thing about the movie! Cameron even put together a ~2h20m cut that actually included the wave subplot but it gutted other parts of the story, so the decision was made to focus on Bud and Lindsey's relationship as the core of the film both narratively and thematically. So it was still Cameron's cut to make but it wasn't done for issues of 'pacing' per se, it was a case of having to kill his darling rather than having the suits do it for him.

[lvri]

Originally Posted by raybestos

Seriously, I've seen enough films theatrically in my life to remember that, yes, ALIENS, TRUE LIES, and THE ABYSS didn't look like what has been released today on UHD back in their original theatrical runs. I'm pretty well certain of that fact. This is not the look of vintage 1980s film. It's been altered to appeal both in color-timing and "digital" smoothed look to pander to 2024 kids / younger people who've been inured and weaned to that over the past 15-20 years.

It's just the decision of Cameron, no more no less... You have the right to disagree with his choices after making your OWN opinion (and not after looking at 3 pictures on internet), but don't try to find orhers reasons in this choices.
Some people will like, and they are not silly...
If you don't like Cameron's choices, don't cry everywhere : just don't buy and go on another subject...

[KcMsterpce]

Listen, no one is allowed to make any comments about THE ABYSS, and especially this transfer, unless it conforms exactly to my own views on it.
So, be quiet, stop moaning about it or loving it, and move on.

[Pocketkid2]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I think that's a bit of an urban myth re: the wave. Cameron wasn't quite the ultra-powerful mogul that we think of him as today, so although he contractually had final cut on the picture it was only if he brought it in under a certain running time. Test screenings showed that the largely unfinished wave sequence was both the most loved and most hated thing about the movie! Cameron even put together a ~2h20m cut that actually included the wave subplot but it gutted other parts of the story, so the decision was made to focus on Bud and Lindsey's relationship as the core of the film both narratively and thematically. So it was still Cameron's cut to make but it wasn't done for issues of 'pacing' per se, it was a case of having to kill his darling rather than having the suits do it for him.

That may be true, but I still disagree with the cuts. Ever since watching the special edition I've never had a desire to watch theatrical.

[BluIsGold]

Originally Posted by KulasDevorn

Amazon sent me an email update on estimated arrival. Now it wont arrive until March 31-April 20. Absolutely ridiculous.

It's out of stick everywhere, so guess I have to wait.

Sorry, but being out of stick can be a serious issue for some. I'm just happy mine's still attached.

Seriously, one of my favorite autocorrect moments was an attempted "Conan The Barbarian" quote: "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the laminations of their women."

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Pocketkid2

That may be true, but I still disagree with the cuts. Ever since watching the special edition I've never had a desire to watch theatrical.

You can like what you like, I dig the SE too, I'm just saying it was a bit more involved than "they didn't finish the wave so they cut it out because of that".